Filling-feeler mechanism for looms



Aug. 30, 1932. A. HUDSON 9 5 FILLING FEELER MECHANISM FOR LUOMS Filed. July so, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 30, 1932. A. HUDSON 1,874,533

FILLING FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed July 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7& 7.

Patented Aug. 30, 1932 n ETEDl-STATES aren't oFFi cE ALEXANDER- HUDSON, or nnAnvILLn, MASSACHUSETTS, Assronon, BY MESNE Assistiivrnlv'r's, TO THE nnArnn CORPORATION IILLING-FEELER MECHANISM. LOOMS Application filed July 3! The invention has relation to filling-feeler devices which commonly are'used in looms forthe purpose of detecting. the approach of substantial exhaustion of the supply of filling occupying the working shuttle upon the lay of a'loom. As is'well-known, such devices are. employed to bring about a change in the working of a loom when the fillingsupply has been reduced to a predetermined minimum, in order to guard against the currence, in the cloth being woven, ofan incomplete or partial pick. of-filling which does not extend the full width of the cloth, and which will require to beremoved by hand with the loom stopped, in order to avoid production of a defect in the cloth, or will reduce the value of the finished cloth if allowed to remain. In the case of looms equippedwith automatic filling replenishing mechanism, the filling-feeler acts to call this mechanism into action, so as to provide thereby a fresh supply of filling upon the lay; in the case of other looms the filling-feeler acts to stop the weav- More particularly the invention has relation to filling-feeler devices of the side slipping class. r

Filling-feeler mechanisms of the class to which the present invention is applicable comprise, ordinarily, a side-slipping feelermember having movement forward and rearward of the loom imparted thereto by the feeling action, conjoined with a sideslipping pivotal indicating movement, and a transmitter that is actuated by the said side-slipping movement to indicate, as it is termed, the change in the working of the loom.

The general object of the present invention is toprovide an improved filling-feeler mechanism of the side-slipping class characterized by simplicity of construction and freedom from liability toqget out of order, and by light and easy action.

A special aim of the invention is to provide a filling-feeler adapted to operate upon delicate and fine filling without the injury to the filling that results from the feeling action of many of the types of. such devices hitherto in use. Thisinjury, as is well-known, results from repeated impact of the same spot of the 1930. Serial No. 471,851.

periphery of the shuttle-contained wound mass of filling against the feeler-member. This impact takes eflectmany times upon the same turns of the wound mass of filling, before the supply becomes so far depleted as to begin unwinding those turns with resulting' shifting of the impact to other turns underlying the, original superficial turns. This localized pounding of the wound mass sometimes involves displacement of the said turns, and resulting interference with free delivery of the filling from the wound mass. Sometimes, it results in the cutting or breaking of one or more turns; or in chafing or other injury to the filling. The finer the filling the more subject it is to injury, by reason of the greater length of yarn comprising the wound mass, and its consequent longer duration in the shuttle, and also due to its delicacy and inability to withstand the repeated pounding. I

The invention comprises a novel and improved side-slipping feeler device characterized by the provision of a filling-feeler having a laterally ofi'set filling-engaging tip and pivotally mounted on a carrier which moves forward with the feeler-member as the latter is driven forward in the advance of the lay in a'feeling action, and by the provision of a single spring acting on the feeler to hold it yieldingly erect in its presentation position, and through its action on the feeler also serving to hold the carrier that is combined with the latter yieldingly rearward and to return such'carrier to its rearward position after each feeling action.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of certain of the parts at the feeler end of a loom, namely a portion of the lay, a shuttle and its filling-supply, and one of the said embodiments.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, on a larger scale than Fig. 1, of the feeler of Fig. 1 with the cover-plate removed and the feeler-carrier in section. 7

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line l-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan'view of the carrier-slide to which further reference is made later herein.

Fig. 6 is a rear end view of the feeler.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the feeler alone of Fig. 7.

Fig.9 is a plan view of the feeler-basewith the carrier-slide in place therein, with the cover 35 and other portions removed.

Having reference to the drawings The novel filling-feeler of Figs. 1 to 5 1s located, as most commonly is the case, at one end of the breast-beam of the loom in which the device is employed, being supported by' bin 8 and the wound mass of filling 9 thereon.

The'feeler-member 4 is pivotally mounted in the channel of the feeler-carrier 11, which comprises a block of U-shaped section, the

pivot-pin 10 passing both through the lateral extensions defining the channel and through the feeler-member. This block 11 is adapted to slide freely and easily fore-andaft of the loom in a guideway' 12 milled in the feeler-base 2. Stops are provided to limit the extent of this fore-and-aft movement, one thereof formed by a screw 13 whichis put through a cover-plate 14 applied to the feeler-base'to cover the working parts, and which thus also serves to hold the cover-plate in place, and a'small block 15 fitted into the guideway 12 at the forward end and secured therein by a bolt 16 which also serves to hold the cover-plate 14 in place. A tongue 23 on the cover-plate 14 engages one side of the guideway to help position the plate on the base 2.

The feeler-member 4, as stated, has its filling-engaging end 5 offset with respect to its pivot 10 so that a tendency to rotate about such pivot will occur when the rearward end of the feeler comes in contact with a surface moving with the lay. This type of feeler action is a familiar one in practice, commonly termed the side-slipping principle. A contracting spring 17 anchored to the feelenbase at 18 and hooked into the appropriate one of a series of holes 19 formed in an angularly projecting arm 20 formed on the feeler-member 4,'tends to hold the feeler-member swung in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 10 into its normal or presentation position,-with one of its sides pressed against the bottom of the channel in the feeler-carrier 11. In this erect presentation position the feelermember enters the shuttle at each beat of the lay made with the shuttle at the feeler end of the lay, and so long as adequate filling remains in a wound mass upon the bobbin 8 to engage with the serrations on the end 5, the feeler-member 4 will be driven forward with its carrier 11 sliding freely in the guideway 12, the only resistance opposed to such forward movement being the pull, of the light spring 17 and the inertia ofthe two relatively light parts 4 and 11. By changing the obliquity of the spring with respect to the path of the carrier, as by shifting its engagement from one to another -of the holes 19, the degree of the resistance of the feeler to being pushed forward in a feeling action may easily e adjusted, and the attendant lengthening or shortening of the power-arm of the feelermember as measured from the pivot to the spring-engaging means or hole 19 in use results in corresponding increase or decrease of the feelers resistance to rotation on its pivot in effecting side-slipping, without need to provide means'for tightening or loosening the spring.

As the weaving continues the filling is woven off from the wound mass 9 until the few remaining turns thereof are no longer able to restrain the tendency of the fillin state is reached, the first result as the lay beats up is to cause the filling-engaging end i 5 of the feeler to slip sidewise along the surface of the substantially bare bobbin 8, with attendant rotation of the feeler-member upon its pivot 10. -Then the continued forward movement of the lay in beating up causes the aforesaid sliding of thecarrier 11 along its guideway as before. It is this changed and angularly'inclined relation of the feelermember itbat is utilized to call into action the weft-replenishing mechanism of the loom.

A fragmentary portion of a transmitting member 21 is shown located in spaced relation with the feeler device, to receive an impulse from the feeler-member when the latter slips sidewise and to transmit this impulse to the weft-replenishing mechanism to call the latter into action for the purpose of providing automatically a fresh supply of filling. This transmitting member in the form ilhistrated herein comprises a wire or rod 21 of which one end, either straight or bent back as shown, enters the feeler-base through appropriate holes or slots in the raised flange 22 at one side and stands in position to be struck by the shank of the feeler-member 4 after it has slipped sidewise along the bobbin. The endwise push delivered to the transmitting member either through the primary side-slipping movement of the feeler-member, or through the latters being driven forward in inclined relathan during the remainder of the forward movement of-the lay,or through the com bined result of both of' these actions, isutilized in any suitable or preferred manner to actuate the controlling devices of-the weft replenishing mechanism and set in motion the latter mechanism to provide a fresh supply of filling. r

In the embodiment of the invention that is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the feeler-member 30 is pivoted upon a pivot 31 fixed in the end of the carrier 32 that protrudes rearwardly from the feelersbase 33, such carrier being mounted for free sliding movement foreand-aft the loom in guideways 3st in the feeler-base, and limited as to the extent of its movement rearward by a tongue 50, struck down from the material of the carrier, and engaging with the stand. The carrier 32 is retained in place within the guideways by a cover 35 secured to the top of the stand by screws .36. The forwardly-extending tail 37 of the feeler-member is provided at its under side with an ear 38 to which is attached one end'of a light contracting spiral spring 40, the opposite end of which 'is attached to the desired one of a series of spring-engaging devices or holes 41 in the upturned rearward extremity of an arm atQfOrmed integrally with the cover 35' and extending rearwardly of the ear 38 on the feeler-tail 37 to terminate at one side of the pivot 31 on the rear end of the carrier 32. The feeler-member is provided with a stop 43 which engages with a pin lll fixed transversely in the protruding upper end of the pivot pin 31 to limit the extent of its pivotal action about this pin 44; on the carrier.

The single spring iO serves as in the case of the embodiment previously described to perform the two-fold function of holding the feeler-member yieldingly erect in its desired angular presentation position, and through its act-ion on the feeler-member also serving to hold the carrier with the feelermember borne thereby yieldingly rearward and to return the carrier and feeler-member to their rearward position after each feeling action.

In this form the arrangement of the spring 40 in connection with the spring-engaging holes ll in the rearward end of arm 4-2 has the valuable feature of permitting a relative adjustment of the force with which the feeler and its carrier are held rearward, with respect to the force exerted on the feeler to resist its rotation about the pivot 31. Thus, when the rearward end of the spring is attached by means of the hole ll nearest the pivot 31, the line of the force exerted by the spring (though still oblique with respect to the carrier) is most nearly in line with the direction of movement of the carrier. Consequently, the main force of the spring is exerted in pushing the carrier and the feelermember rearward toward the lay, while only a relatively small partof its force goes to resist the rotation of the feeler-member about the pivot 31 and thus to oppose the sideslip-ping tendency of the serrated fillingengaging end 39 of the feeler-member lengthwise of the shuttle-contents. lVhereas, when the spring is engaged with the hole 4-1 most remote from the pivot .31, the resistance of the feeler-member to being pushed forward with its carrier'is diminished; consequently the intensity of its push which imbeds the serrations of the feeler-tip in theturns of filling is reduced. At the same time the component of the springs force which resists rotation of the feeler-member about the pivot 31 is increased, thus tending to diminish the side-slipping tendency of the "feeler-tip lengthwise of the shuttle-contents.

Thus, the means for varying the point of attachment of the rear end of the spring to the fixed partof the feeler-stand comprised by the arm 4-2, provides for changing the obliquity or angularity of the spring both with respect to the feeler-member and its carrier. Hence, as the rear end of the spring is shifted, it increases the portion of the springs force resisting the motion imparted to the feeler-member by the shuttle-contents while it decreases that portion of the springs force which causes the feeler-carrier to resist the motion imparted to it by the shuttlecontents, and vice versa. So the provision for varying the angularity of the spring through shifting its rear end serves to determine the proportion of the springs force which acts to effect each of the two positioning actions, namely the angular positioning of the feelermcniber about its pivot, and the positioning of the feeler and carrier together in their extreme rearward position.

A fragmentary portion of a transmitting member45 is shown connected with the tail 37 of the feeler-member, to receive an impulse from the feeler-member when the latter slips sidewise, and to transmit this impulse to the weft replenishing mechanism to call the latter into action to eifect weft replenishment according to any well-known or desired manner of operaion. In the, form shown, this transmitting member comprises a light rod or wire, the illustrated end of which is bent down to engage a hole in the feeler-tail. In the normal action of the feeler on non- "detecting beats of the lay, the feeler and its carrier are driven forward by the shuttlecont'e nts without rotation of the feeler-member upon its pivot, and the feeler-tail accordingly travels toward and back with attendant idle movement of the, extremity of the transmitting member 45. hen the feeler-member detects substantial exhaustion of the wound mass of filling within the shuttle, 1t slips lengthwise along the surface'of the tion about its pivot 31 which carries the tail wound I filling supply.

' on the filling in the repeated feeling operations, and unusually sensitive and accurate in gauglng thev amount remaining, and responsive in acting tocall the change due to the fact thatthe feeler is unconnected with the transmitting mechanism and has only its own inertia to overcome in performing'its side-slipping action and swinging well offcenter. Inthe embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, the feelermember is pushed forward bythe bobbin with the full weight of the lay behind it, and can be brought into contact with any desired form of transmitting member with assurance of sufficient power to actuate the weft-replenishing mechanism. The use of the single spring engaging directly with the feeler-member to effect the two results of holding and restoring the feeler-member rearward after it and its carrier have been thrust forward, and of holding and restoring the feeler-member erect in proper an- .gu ar relation to receive the impact of the shuttle-contents, affords a marked advance in reducing cost and upkeep, and in simplifying repairs and adjustment.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms'in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications maybe made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but what I do claim 1. A filling-feeler mechanism comprising, in combination, a feeler-stand havin a guide, a carrier slidable Within said gui e, said carrier constituted by a channel having its closed side extending parallel to the direction of its movement, a side-slipping feelermember pivotally mounted within the said channel between upper and lower cheek-portions of the carrier-slide, a spring engaging with said feeler-member and acting to give i 7 the feeler-member and carrier their position rearward and also to swing the feeler-member relative to the carrier into engagement with the closed side ofthe said channel determining the angular presentation position of the feeler-tip, and a transmitter actuated by side- 'slipping movement of the feeler-member.

2. A filling-feeler mechanism comprising,

in combination, a feeler-stand, a feeler-carrier slidably mounted in said stand, having a u-shaped cross section transversely of the direction of its movement, a. feeler-member pivotally mounted within the channel in the feeler-carrier provided by such U-shape,and having a laterally offset filling-engaging tip, and a spring applied to the feeler-member tending to hold it within such channel against the'closed side thereof and the carrier rearward when exhaustion of the filling supply permits the filling-engaging tip to slip sidewiseand the feeler-member to swing out of the channel.

3. A filling-feeler mechanism for looms comprising, in combination, a feeler-stand, a

'feeler-carrier movable with respect to said stand and having a channel which extends from front to rear as well as laterally thereof, a side-slipping feeler-member occupying the said channel, pivotally combined with the carrier, and having a filling-engaging end which is laterally offset to induce side-slipping, a spring tending to hold the feelerinember swung into normal feelin position within and against the closed si e of the channel of the carrier, and in addition to move the carrier rearward on the stand.

ALEXANDER HUDSON. 

